Death of Dragut

by Ray Agius

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

24.000 x 18.000 inches

Title

Death of Dragut

Artist

Ray Agius

Medium

Painting - Watercolour On Cold-pressed 300 Gsm Watercolour Paper

Description

Death of Dragut

On Monday, June 18, Turkish troops were sent to implement Dragut�s latest strategy to capture Fort St Elmo. Dragut knew he needed to isolate the fort from the shore on the Grand Harbour side where reinforcements and supplies had come almost every night from Birgu, the Knight�s primary stronghold.

Dragut determined that his men should cut a trench from one of the Turkish batteries down to the deep ditch surrounding the fort and then to the shore, thereby preventing any aid from reaching the garrison.

As Dragut looked out at the completed work, he had no doubt that Fort St Elmo would soon be in Ottoman hands. Deprived of fresh troops and supplies, it would be impossible for the defenders to withstand the punishing bombardment and assaults they had suffered for nearly four weeks.

Dragut was right. But he would never see this victory; his life was going to end on that very same day.

There are two versions of Dragut�s death. Francesco Balbi da Correggio, who fought with a Spanish contingent and kept a journal during the Siege, reported that Dragut was accidentally killed by his own gunmen when a shot hit the trench where he was standing and a splinter of rock pierced his head. The other story suggests that the fatal shot had actually been fired by the Knights from Fort St Angelo.

Dragut is said to have lingered for several days before dying, but he never left the tent to which he had been carried. His death robbed the Ottoman command of its most experienced leader.

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April 30th, 2015

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